Method of generating gas.



H. PHILIPP.

METHOD OF GENERATING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED 110V. 26, 1910.

1 ,O41,865. Patented Oct 22, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: 1W (Rev/211 I wfil- H. PEILIPP.

METHOD or GENERATING GAS. APPLIOATION FILED-NOV. 26 .1910.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR UNITED? STATES PATENT anion HERBERT PHILIPP, OF PERTH AMBOY,NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROESSLER & HASSLACHER CHEMICAL (30., OF NEW'YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION NEW YORK.

METHOD OF GENERATING GAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentetlOct. 22, 1%12.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knoun that I, HERBERT PHILIPP, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Perth Amboy, Middlesex county, New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of GeneratingGas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of generating hydrogen gasfrom a certain composition of matter consisting of an alkali metal, suchas sodium, and a silicid, such as aluminium silicid, described inLetters Patent of the United States, No. 977,442 dated December 6, 1910,whereby the yield of hydrogen is largely increased.

In generating hydrogen gas from the com position of matter mentioned, inthe manner described in said patent, 700 liters of hydrogen are obtainedfrom 1 kilo of the mixture, although theoretically about 900 liters ofhydrogen should be obtained. This loss is due to the fact that a portionof the metal silicid, which forms one'element of the mixture, remainsundecomposed, and on account of lack of heat and agitation, remains atthe bottom of the gas generator. If the metal silicid should be agitatedat this stage of the process, and steam passed through, then morehydrogen gas-would be generated by the action of the free alkali on themetal silicid, as shown by the following equation, for instance- Whenwater is dropped on said composition of matter enough heat is developedto pass some-0f the water 01? as steam with the gas evolved, and if thishydrogen gas and steam is passed through a second generator whichcontains a charge of saidcomposition of matter already partiallydecomposed with water as described, then from the metal silicid stillundecomposed in this second generator and the free alkali presenttherein, more hydrogen gas is evolved and a substantially completereaction obtained as already set forth. y

This invention comprises a process for increasing the yield of hydrogengas from said composition of matter, by passing the gas evolved from onegenerator through the-par so that the gases from one generator can bepassed through any of the, other ones, the generators being connected toone or more suitable outlet pipes preferably in common to all thegenerators, although in case a very large number of generators werecoupled together, the outlet pipes might be common to a certain numberin the group rather than to all. The gas evolved from one generator maybe passed into any other gener ator of the group but preferably intothat onein which the composition of matter has just been partiallydecomposed so as to have the full benefit of the heat contained in thesecond generator. Of course the second generator need not be adjacent tothe first one, but may be any other of the group.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one form of an apparatusfor generating hydrogen gas according to this invention. 7

F i ure 1 is an elevation of said apparatus and ig. 2 is a plan view.

The apparatus illustrated is provided with four generators by way ofexample.

The four generators are indicated by reference numerals 3, 4, 5 and 6respectively, and may be provided with removable tops or covers 7 inwhich are contained suitable 14.- is common main gas conductor to whichall the generators are connectedby the outlet pipes 15, provided withunions or joints 16. Between these latter and the gas conductor 14 arevalves 17. Tnterposed between conductor 14 and each of the get er pipes22 being provided with valves 23.

27, 27, represent perforated baiile plates held in place by slippingthem over pipe 16 and separated from eaeh other by collars 28. Theplates 27 are to prevent any solid material from passing upward intooutlet pipe 15 should the mass in the generator splash too much duringthe reaction.

From the above it will be seen that a generator, 3, for instance, may beremoved from the system by disconnecting the unions l1,

. l6 and 19 in the pipes 10, 15 and 18 respectively, the valves 12, 17,and 20 nearest the generator 3 being first closed also, that by properlyoperating the valves 21 and 23 in the conductor 14 and branchconnect-ions 22, these latter may be cut in on or out from the system,.thus permitting cotiperation between any two generators, not adjacent,if desired.

The operation is as follows. Briquets of the described composition ofmatter are placed in the generators and water is allowed to enter slowlyby way of the pipes 10, the valves 12 in the latter being opened and,the needle valves 13 properly adjusted. T be water is broken up by thesprinkler devices 8 and falls in sprays on the composition of matter inthe generators, say for instance generator 3. Assume further that gashas previously been evolved from generator 1. Gas is now immediatelyevolved in generator 3 and passes into its outlet pipe 15, the adjacentvalves 20, 21, 23 and 21, the latter tw o'to the right of generator 3 inFig. 2, being closed, while the valve 17 of generator 3 andthe valve 20of generator 4 are opened, thus forming a connection to generator 4. Thegas evolved in generator 3 must therefore pass through pipes 15,1 1 and18 into generator 4 which contains a partially decomposed charge. Thislatter is stirred up by the gas bubbling through and the steam with'thegas heats up the waste liquid and generates more hydrogen gas from thepartially decomposed charge in generator 4.

\Vhen enough water has been ht into gen erator. 3 to act on thecomposition of matter therein'until the generation of gas apparentlyceases generator 6 for instance may be started up and the gas evolyedtherein is allowed to pass into generator 3, as described in connectionwith generator 4;, the residual charge in generator 3 being thusfollowed strictly.

eat en agitated to evolve additional hydrogen gas as described. In themeantime the generator t may be removed by disconnecting unions 11, 16and 19 as above explained, for the purpose of being cleaned, dried andif desired, recharged and connected up again to' the system. Similarlywhen the reaction in generator 6 is finished, generator 5 is started andgenerator 3 removed.

The hydrogen gas evolved from the generators, in the apparatus shown,passes of! through an outlet 24, whence it may ass.

through. a suitable filter or drier not shown) to a storage or otherreservoir as desired. The system may be turthepprovided with the usualsafety device 25 and flash back 26. I

It will be observed that the evolved hy drogen gas may pass fromgenerator 3 through the pipe 14 to the generator 5 or from generator 4to generator 6 when the valves are properly operated as explainedv andas is obvious from the drawings, as well as from one generator to theadjacent one. i

An apparatus as above described may of course comprise any number ofgenerators and the detailed construction need not be The apparatus 7 andmethod are of course applicable to the production of other gas thanhydrogen, whenever it is advantageous to pass the gas through an alreadypartially decomposed mass of the gas producing mixture;

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The .method of making gas from a chemical mixture which onlypartially reacts with water in the evolution of the gas, consisting inpartially reactingupon the mixture with water with production of-the gasdesired and steam and bringing the resulting hot moist gas and steam incont-act with a similar, previously partially reacted upon, mixture.

2. The method of making hydrogen from a mixture comprising an alkalimetal and a silicid, consisting in partially reacting uponsilicid,consisting in partially reacting upon the mixture with water withproduction of the gas desired and steam and bringing the resulting hotmoist gas and steam in contact with a similar, partially decomposedmixture already reacted upon by water.

t. The method of making hydrogen from a mixturecomprising an alkalimetal nd aluminum silicid consisting in partlally reacting upon themixture with water with' production of the gas desired and steam andsteam-in contact with a similar, parand bringing the resulting hot moistgas tact with a similar, partially decomposed mixture already reactedupon by Water.

In testimony whereof I have signed this spepification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

HERBERT PHIILIPP.

tially deeb'inposed mixture already reacted upon by Water.

The method of making hydrogen from a mixture comprising sodium metal andaluminum silioi'cl, consisting in partially reacting upon the mixturewith Water with production of the gas desired and steam and bringing thehot moist gas and steam in con- Witnesses:

A. HANS FOURIER,

ARNOLD NONNENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

